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For the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas, creating a unique resort brand starts with assembling the right team. Once you understand that, it comes as no surprise that the recruiting team seems to be having as much fun as Cosmo’s cool customers.

“If you peel back the layers and look at what it’s like to be part of this culture and part of the team that makes things happen, it is equally edgy and fun, and that’s because we’re given the flexibility to do things with our own style,” explains Director of Talent Acquisition Lori Calderon. “When you get up in the morning and put your feet on the floor and go to work, the last thing you want to feel is dread. Here we are always thinking about how to make it interesting and exciting, and we give a lot of feedback and collect a lot of input in order to take action.”

Calderon has been at Cosmo for two and a half years, having made the move to reunite with CEO Bill McBeath; she previously worked with him with MGM Resorts International, where she was employed for 20 years.

The veteran of the Vegas people biz has a great appreciation for the special aspects of the Cosmopolitan consumer brand, and she and her team try to carry that over to the employee brand. That effort has resulted in some interesting events, like the lively one set for January 18 when Cosmo will hire for pool season.

“We try to design events that will always catch people off-guard, and maybe that’s why I fit in here, because I don’t like doing things the same way other people do,” Calderon says. “We want events that we actually want to attend and enjoy, so we always have some element of surprise. When we did our collaborative Community Veterans Career Fair, we had showgirls and a photo booth and a crazy, cool, hip decor to kind of set the stage. Our events have to provide a feel for what our brand is, so the pool hiring event won’t be just a career fair; it will be a true party in the Chelsea, with a DJ and dancers and more.”

All the fun speaks to Calderon’s hiring philosophy, which is about getting team members to choose the Cosmo instead of the resort choosing its employees. “We want to thank people for being interested in joining our family,” she says. Cosmopolitan Pool Hiring Party, January 18.